Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection improvement project : environmental assessment/initial study

2011·8.3 MB·English

by  Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Agency : U.S.)

1
3 1223 09320 6374
Recreational Area
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Golden Gate Bridge Highway and
Transportation District
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive
Improvement
Intersection Project
GOVE MT
DOCUiM DEPT
Environmental Assessment/Initial Study DEC 2 7 2011
December 201 SAN FRANCISCO
PUBLIC UBRARY
REF
388.411
AL263
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
The National ParkService caresforspecial places saved by theAmerican people so that all may experience ourheritage.
San Francisco PublicLibrary
Government Information Center
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street, 5'*' Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
REFERENCE BOOK
Nottobetakenfrom thelibrary
.
JAN 20^2
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GOLDENGAiradbGI
Golden Gate National Recreation Area Golden Gate Bridge Highway
Bldg. 201, Fort Mason and Transportation District
San Francisco, CA 94123 1011 Andersen Drive
San Rafael, CA 94901
General Information about this Document
What's in this Document?
The National Park Service (NPS) and Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District
(GGBHTD) have prepared this Environmental Assessment/Initial Study (EA/IS) to examine the
potential environmental impacts of the alternatives being considered for the proposed Alexander
Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection Improvement Project (proposed project) in Golden Gate National
Recreation Area (GGNRA) in Marin County, California. The document describes the need for the
proposed project, alternatives, the existing environment that could be affected by the proposed project,
the potential impacts from each of the alternatives, and measures proposed to avoid, minimize, and/or
mitigate potential adverse effects on the environment.
What you should do:
Please read this EA/IS. In addition to the lead agencies offices listed above, additional copies of this
document are available for review online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/Alex_Danes_Improvements,
and at San Francisco Libraries (Main, Marina, Anza, Presidio, and Sunset Branches), Belvedere-
Tiburon, Corte Madera County, Marin City, Mill Valley and Sausalito Public Libraries. For
individuals with sensory disabilities, this document can be made available in large print or on compact
disk. To obtain a copy in one ofthese alternate formats, please contact the GGNRA at 415-561-4700 or
goga_planning@nps gov
.
We welcome your comments. Submissions must be in writing and postmarked, or submitted online at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/Alex_Danes_Improvements no later than January 27, 2012. Comments
regarding this EA/IS may be mailed to:
Superintendent
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Fort Mason, Building 201
San Francisco, CA 94123 - 1307
Attn: Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive EA
What happens next?
After comments are received from the public and reviewing agencies, NPS and GGBHTD may:
(1)
give environmental approval to the proposed project, (2) undertake additional environmental studies, or
(3) abandon the proposed project. If the proposed project is given environmental approval and funding
is appropriated, NPS and/or GGBHTD could design and construct all or part ofthe proposed project.
3 1223 09320 6374
1 ri
United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
GoldenGateNationalRecreationArea
FortMason,SanFrancisco,California94123
INREPLYREFERTO:
L76 (GOGA-PLAN)
DEC
9 1 2011
Dear Reviewer:
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), in conjunction with the Golden Gate Bridge,
Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD), has completed an Envirorunental Assessment/Initial
Study (EA/IS) for the Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection Improvement Project incompliance
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Envirormiental Quality Act
(CEQA), respectively. The project area is located in Marin County, near the Marin Headlands and Fort
Baker area ofGGNRA. A copy ofthe EA/IS is enclosed for your review and comment.
The proposed project identifies actions withinthe project area that address anumber ofdeficient multi-
modal transportation conditions including, but not limited to: inadequate roadside shoulderwidthto
handle shared bicycle, pedestrian and automobile use; skewed intersection geometry; limited vehicle-site
distance; and inadequate deceleration length associated with the left-turn lane on Alexander Avenue.
The EA/IS presents and analyzes three "action" alternatives, in additionto a no action altemative, with
Alternative D identified as the Agency Preferred Altemative.
For fiirther information on this project, visit: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/Alex_Danes_Improvements.
All comments must be received by January 27, 2012. Comments can be submitted online at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/AIex_Danes_Improvements or mailed to:
Superintendent
Attn: Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive EA
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Fort Mason, Building 201 GOVERNMENT
San Francisco, CA 94123 - 1307
DOCUl iTS DEPT
Thank you for yourparticipation inthis very important park project
DEC 2 7 Z011
Sincerely,
SAN FRANCISCO
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Frank Dean
General Superintendent
Enclosures (1)
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection Improvement Project EA/IS Study Paper Copy

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Alexander Avenue/Danes Intersection Improvement Project
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action 1-1
1.1 Introduction 1-1
1.2 Purpose 1-1
1.3 Need 1-1
1.4 Background 1-3
1.5 ProjectArea Location 1-3
1.6 Scope ofthe Environmental Assessment 1-9
1.7 Related Laws/Legislation and Other Planning and Management Documents 1-9
1.8 Scoping and Public Involvement 1-12
1.9 ImpactTopics 1-13
1.10 ImpactTopics Considered but Dismissed from Further Consideration 1-13
Chapter 2 Alternatives 2-1
2.1 Introduction 2-1
2.2 Description ofAlternatives 2-2
2.3 Agency Preferred Alternative 2-1
2.4 Mitigation and Monitoring 2-13
2.5 Permit Requirements 2-17
2.6 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Evaluation 2-17
2.7 Environmentally Preferred Alternative 2-18
2.8 Comparison ofAlternatives 2-20
2.9 Comparison of Impacts 2-21
Chapter 3 Environmental Consequences 3-1
3.1 Introduction 3-1
3.2 General Methodology 3-1
3.3 Transportation 3-2
3.4 Visual Resources 3-10
3.5 Visitor Experience 3-18
3.6 Cultural Resources 3-22
3.7 Air Quality 3-32
3.8 Geologic Resources, Soils, and Seismic Hazards 3-40
3.9 Noise 3-48
3.10 Public Health and Safety 3-55
3.11 Special Status Species 3-60
3.12 Invasive Species 3-68
Chapter 4 Coordination and Consultation 4-1
4.1 Scoping and Public Involvement 4-1
4.2 Regulatory Compliance 4-1
AlexanderAvenue/DanesDriveIntersectionImprovementProject Pagei
TableofContents
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Chapter 5 List of Preparers 5-1
,
5.1 National Park Service 5-1
5.2 Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Highway District 5-1
5.3 Federal Highway Administration - Central Federal Lands Highway Division 5-1
5.4 Partners and Consultants 5-1
Chapter 6 List of Recipients 6-1
6.1 Federal Agencies 6-1
6.2 Elected Officials 6-1
6.3 State Agencies 6-1
6.4 Regional and Local Agencies 6-2
6.5 Groups and Individuals 6-6
APPENDIX A: Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1 Existing Narrow Shoulder Width 1-2
Figure 1-2 Project Location 1-4
Figure 1-3 Photo Location Map 1-5
Figure 1-3A Vantage Point 1: Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection
from top of East Cut Slope 1-6
Figure 1-3B Vantage Point 2: US 101 Ramps looking Northeast towards Alexander Avenue 1-7
Figure 1-3C Vantage Point 3: Project Site looking North from Vista Point 1-8
Figure 2-1 Alternative B Cross Section 2-5
Figure 2-2 Alternative C Cross Section 2-8
Figure 2-3 Alternative D Cross Section 2-10
Figure 2-4 Proposed Roadway Configuration 2-11
Figure 3-1 Existing Shoulder Conditions on AlexanderAvenue 3-6
Figure 3-2 Existing Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection Configuration 3-6
Figure 3-3 Views ofthe Project Area 3-12
Figure 3-4 East Rock Cut after Implementation ofAlternative B 3-15
Figure 3-5 East Rock Cut after Implementation ofAlternative C and Alternative D 3-1
Figure 3-6 Mission Blue Butterfly Habitat Survey Map 3-64
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2-1 Mitigation Measures 2-14
Table 2-2 Comparison ofAlternatives 2-20
Table 2-3 Comparison of Impacts 2-21
Table 3-1 Air Pollutant Emissions from Alternative B Construction Activities (lbs/day) 3-37
Table 3-2 Air Pollutant Emissions from Alternative C Activities (lbs/day) 3-38
Table 3-3 Air Pollutant Emissions from Alternative D Activities (lbs/day) 3-39
Table 3-4 SummaryofTypical Construction Equipment Noise Levels 3-51
Table 3-5 Typical Outdoor Construction Noise Levels 3-53
AlexanderAvenue/DanesDriveIntersectionImprovementProject Pagea
TableofContents
Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action
1.1 Introduction
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District
(GGBHTD) are working in partnership to plan and conduct the environmental analysis for the
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive Intersection Improvement Project (proposed project) within Golden
Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The NPS Pacific West Region is providing funding for the
proposed project through the Federal Lands Highway Program (FLHP).
This Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluates the No Action Alternative and three action alternatives.
For this analysis NPS is serving as the lead agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
compliance and GGBHTD is serving as the lead agency for California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) compliance. An Initial Study (IS) was prepared under CEQA and is included in this document
as Appendix A.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of the proposed project is to correct existing deficiencies and substandard roadway
conditions at the Alexander Avenue left-turn lane to Danes Drive. The proposed project would also
help to reduce offsite transportation impacts associated with intensified operation of Fort Baker by
improving the Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection functionality and enhancing multi-modal use
opportunities along Alexander Avenue. For the proposed project to be successful, it must accomplish
the following project objectives:
• Enhance the safety of the Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection by providing additional
turn lane storage capacity and improved geometric configuration;
• Support the overall goals and objectives of the Draft Alexander Avenue Planning Study to
enhance multi-modal access through and within the Alexander Avenue corridor;
GGNRA
• Contribute to the improvement ofthe Marin Headlands area transportation network as
envisioned in the Marin Headlands and Fort Baker Transportation Infrastructure and
Management Plan (TIMP); and
GGNRA
• Respect the special natural and visitor attributes of the and minimize adverse effects
to natural, scenic, and historic resources associated with the Alexander Avenue corridor to the
greatest extent possible.
Need
1.3
Under existing conditions, the left-turn lane from Alexander Avenue onto Danes Drive does not
provide sufficient deceleration length and queuing capacity to accommodate peak hour traffic. As a
result, vehicles tend to encroach into the main travel lane of Alexander Avenue. Further, the
combination of narrow shoulders along the section of Alexander Avenue between the US 101
AlexanderAvenue/DanesDriveIntersection ImprovementProject Page I-l
ChapterI: Purpose ofandNeedforAction
interchange and Danes Drive, and frequent bicycle and pedestrian use, creates the potential for conflict
between these user groups. Additionally, it was anticipated that the expansion ofvisitor services at Fort
Baker, as evaluated in the Fort Baker Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), would result in an
GGNRA
increase in vehicular and non-vehicular traffic both onsite and throughout the Marin
Headlands area. The existing deficiencies associated with traffic flow and safety conditions at the
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection would be exacerbated by increased transportation demand
related to the Fort Baker Plan and the TIMP. As such, improvement ofboth Alexander Avenue and the
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection is needed to enhance the operational safety of the
intersection and minimize conflicts among the various user groups present.
During initial scoping, key stakeholders raised several issues and concerns regarding multi-modal use
of Alexander Avenue, including specific location issues and larger corridor-wide issues. The following
problems illustrate the need for the proposed improvements in the corridor, particularly at the
Alexander Avenue/Danes Drive intersection:
• Increased traffic volumes due to the Fort Baker redevelopment, increased park visitation, and
increased bicycle use (including commuter and recreational riders);
• Conflicts among bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and vehicle access and movements;
• Variable demands between weekday and weekend peaks for commuter, daily, and recreational
users, with congested conditions on many weekends;
• Limited sight distance due to existing intersection geometry; and
• Narrow roadway shoulders along Alexander Avenue that provide insufficient travel width for
bicyclists and pedestrians (see Figure 1-1).
Figure 1-1
Existing Narrow Shoulder Width
AlexanderAvenue/DanesDriveIntersectian ImprovementProject Page 1-2
Chapter1: Purpose ofandNeedforAction